Canning heating retort



May zz, 192s.

O. S. HAGEN ET AL CANNING HEATING RETORT Filed April 21, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l 0 J 'wf/2%? e ma We Mora 5.06%.:

ATTORNEY May 22, 1928.

- o. s. HAGEN ETAL cANNING HEATING RETORT Filed A ril 2l, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Hage/1 Coz s maag' lNvr-:NToRs Orrin .Seg

Nova

ATTORNEY AN. rm@

fill

Patented May 22, i928.

1,670,619 rr rca."

OIRRIN vSEYII'IOCI'JR. HAGEN, 0F BURLINGTON, AND .NOVA COINS, OF-M0'UNT VERNON,

WASHINGTON. f. v y

GANNING I1isuulriveiv Rnronr.

Application aledaprn211,192?.` serialno. 185,630.

Our invention relates to a canning heating retort. More particularly our invention relates to a canning retort having a cage disposed therein Which has sloping channels,

i. e., open compartments to Which containersable member Which has peripherally disposed compartment-s into which .little truck-like members may be rolled. Vit-hin these trucklike members are steel trays disposed one upon the other, and'each of these trays is lilled with cans of milk completelyclosed and sealed. Each of the peripherally disposed compartments is of a size to receive two of the truck-like members, end to end, so that the retort is of l() to l2 foot length. Gondensed milk cans are ordinarilyof three sizes-71/2 oz. cans-l lb. cans and Solb. cans. These sterilizers ordinarily have a capacity of 10,800-71/2 oz. cans or 4608-1lbcans, orv

384-8 lb. cans. It often happens in the sterilizing plants,- however, that it is necessary to have the load for they container com- Y prised of part 7% oz. cans, part l lb. cans and part 8 lb. cans. When this is done, hovv-y ever, it is common practice to put in dummy trays to fill out any discrepancy in the heights of the trays that may result from the difference in the sizes of the cans, all of which is objectionable in that it not only reduces the capacity of the device but requires Waste of time in Vinserting said dummy trays, and also the heat absorbed by said extra 'metal is Wasted. Furthermore, manifestly much unnecessary extra Weight is involved which means increased power consumption.

In short, the present device has definite limi-.

tations as to size of cans which may be supplied to it, in that it must have dummy trays to make up the discrepancy in heights, said dummy trays being necessary to provide for tight packing. Another serious objection to the common practice design of sterilizer is temperature.

the"k lack of uniformity 'of heating.- Those cans which are in the trays which constitute thetop and bottoni of the stack of trays, to#- gether Wit-hthe cans on the 'side-s of the trays, manifestly-are far more exposed to the heat than are tho'sefin the central portion lof the stack. 4A fundamental condition for proper milk sterilizing is thatjt-here must be uniformity of heating. This particularly'characterizes milk.v In some ofthe leading milk canneries, great 'quantities of canned goods are rejected upon inspection before the same leave the factory von account'of the failure to receive `uniform heating. Another serious objection is theflossof time incident to thisV lack of uniform heat. lThisarises by reason ofthe factthatthe heating -must'begvery slowly increased up to the proper steriliz'ing If the necessary high teniperature for sterilizlng Was introduced at once, it would leave much of the milk improperly cooked in the middle'. By providing 'for uniformity We not only savetime, but,^by` being able to introduceat once lthe high sterilizing temperature, also avoid imparting to theinilk a brovvncolor Which is highly vobjectionable to the trade. The brovvn color which is so highly objectionable is due to the fact it gives the impression vof artiiciality, and does not look like natural milk. Also there is theserious interference of the flavor of the milk when it is given the brown color,-so that lfor many uses the milk is not Well suited. y i

A primary object ofy our invention is yto overcome these objections, and to provide a device which Will result'inl uniformity of` heating of the cans of milk.

VAfter'the cans of milk are sterilized, e., heated, the commonv practice is to admit Water to the retort to cool the contents, and

the means to hold the trucklike members Within the retorthave been such as' to limit the accessibility of thewater to the individual cans preciselyV as it` limits. ,the exposure to the heating'medium Whether the same ,be steam or hot Water. The/importance of provide for access of the cooling water uniformly to all of the cans so that a uniformity of product is obtained. Difference in length' of period of cooking or -heating results in a difference of color .and body of the productv so that'the consumer may be readily misled to mistake the quality of the product, having become accustomed to one standard character of canned milk, which is made to resemble ordinary cream as nearly as possible.

Furthermore, in sterilizing milk the common practice is to take the milk from the sterilizer to a device calledr the shakery if appear to be of about the thickness ofy ordinary cream while the next can which has been less cooked'will have a viscosity which will make it look like very thin or skimmed milk7 the shaking having the direct result of breaking down the degree of viscosity. All of this makes clear how fundamentally important it is in sterilizing milk to provide for uniformity of heating and uniformity of cooling.

Furthermore, in sterilizingl in common practice the separate trays of cans of milk must be individually manually handled and placed in the truck-like device; then these must be manually shoved into the retort; manually Withdrawn; and then the'cans of milkmanually transferredto wooden trays tovbe taken tothe shaker above'mentioned. This is necessary by reason of the fact that the cans become stained with rust if allowed Y to stand in the steel trays in which they rest when in the retort. Itis found absolutely necessary that they be promptly removed from the trays to avoid disiguring of the canl by rust.,y p

Serious objectionobtains to this manual handling not only on account of the unnecessary labor element cost, but also on account of the delay in operation, and also to the highly objectionable injury by way of denting or jamming of the cans which often results when the cans, vas is the ordinary practice, are tipped upside down into the wooden trays from the metal trays.

A primary object of our invention is to provide a sterilizing retort which will climi# nate practically all of such manual handling and eliminate the use of trays so that the danger of disiiguring or staining the cans with rustvyis avoided, as well as that of jamyming or denting the cans.

The above general objects of our invention, together with others inherent in the same, are obtained by the device illustrated in the following drawings, the same being preferred exemplary forms of embodiment of our invention throughout which drawings like reference numerals indicate like parts.

Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal section of the device embodying our invention.

Fig. 2 is a View in cross-section on broken line 2-,-2 -of Fig. 1. y y

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vievs7 in cross-section of the sloping channel with a container disposed tl1erein.`

Fig. 4 is a view in front elevation of a can retaining plate for the loading end of the retort.

Fig. 5 is a view in front elevation of a can retaining plate for the unloading end of the retort.

Fig. 6 is a modified form of 'the device embodying our invention.

In a nonrevolvable retort 6 the revolvable cage 7 is mounted on a shaft 8. The cage 7 is preferably of the form of a frustrun'l of a cone. cage 7 engages driving gear 10 lwhich driving gear is mounted on shaft 11 which in turn is connected to any suitable source ofl power.

` The cage 7 is composed of a plurality of channels or container trac-kways 12 to which containers y13 may be supplied.. The chan- A gear 9 ixedly mounted on the nels 12 are of different cross-sectional area in different peripheral portions of the cage. For example, those channels in sector 15 are of a size to receive seven and one half ounce containers while those channels 'in sector 16 are of a size to receive one pound containers and those channels inthe axial portion 17 are of a size to vaccommodate eight pound containers. Those channels in peripherally oppositely disposed portions of the cage 6, for example,lin 15 and 18 and 16 and 19 are of the same size. These various channels may be secured together by means of heavy metal hoops 2() at the ends of the cage and these hoops are supported by post 21, the gear 9 manifestly providing a reinforcing member for the central portion of the cage. y

Heat is supplied to the interior of the retort by means of pipe 22 and likewise water is supplied to the interior of the retort for cooling purposes after heating by means of pipe 23.

Through an opening 24 (Fig. 2) closable by door 47 in the loading end of the retort the containers 13 maybe run from an incline chute 25 by means of a loader means 26, which chute is capable of withdrawal from the opening 24. Said loader comprises y an inclined runway 27 and a plurality of superimposed runways 28 and a locking rod 29 slidably' disposed in slots 30 located in Lamme the runvzfays,V '28. A container retaining plate or disk 31V (Fig. 4) idly mounted on shaft 8 closes the-loading end ofthe case,

said disk havngslidaloly mounted door 32. i

A. second container retaining plate or dislt 33 (Fig. 5) is provided at the opposite end `'opening 34 which opening is provided with a plurality of closing slides 35. These plates 31 and 33 are providedwith perforations 36 so that the hot and cold Water is free to pass therethrough. An unloader means 37 having a runway y38 and superimposed runways 39, is `removably vdispoi'ed with respectto the channels 'l2 for unload ing purposes. The bottom oi the retort -G has a drain pipe valve 40 to remove Water.

(ill

Inthemodihed form Fig. 6k asuitable platform 41 is pivotally mounted in its cen-- ter at442. 'The platform 41 may be pro-- vided with a jack screw means 43 which has gear 44'engageahle by hand operated gear 45; Manifestly by tiltingl the door 41. by means of the jaclr screw mechanism 43, th 1 channels of thercy'lindrical cage 45 may he givenv a slope or incline position so that the containers maybe rapidly loaded into the cage even though the channels in the cage have not a sloping angle other than at tno time of loading and unloading; i

The mode of operation of a device em* bodying our invent-ion is as follows: j

The door 47 of they retort 6 is moved into open position andthe loa-ding means 27 is pushed through the opening' and the runways 27 .and 28 are causedto register with the channels12. Manifestly, arditi-erentloader must be employed or differentsized cans to provide for such registration. The filled containers 13 are then allovvedfto roll down the incline 25 and. follow down the runway 27, and then dovvnI the bottomsmost channel. Also simultaneously vthe -canswill run oli runways 28 so that the loading is greatly eX- pedited. The loader may be filled with cans to start so that time may be saved. The cans would start running as soonas locking rod 29 is pulled up. Havingfilled up thel channels in a. given'radialplanethen the cage would he caused to revolve to the channel in the adjoining radial plane, and these Vlled with containers precisely as just described. When all the channels in a ygiven portion or sector such as 15y are filled, then the cage 7 is revolved until the peripherally oppositely` disposed sector as 18-is reached, and then the same sized can would be supplied to the channels of this portion of the cage. It Will be understood that the proportions of the channels 12 are such as to permit the cans to freely travel therein by gravity. The

other sectors of the cage 7 .would next'be l lilled with the size of cans or containers for which the channel proportions are adapted. Having lled the cage With the containers then the loader 27 may be Withdrawn 'and the door 32 of the plate 31. would be pulled into closed position and there secured by any suitable latch 43.. Next, r`theretortdoor 47 is closed, so that the retort is now steam tight. Thereupon power is transmitted to' shaft 11 which causes the cage7 to berevolved by means of the gear 10 engaging gear 9. v The steam is then admitted to the interioriof the retort and the temperature raised to the desired sterilizing point. Since the cans or retainers 13 are engaged only on their end portions by the track members forming` the channel 12, the can is practically accessible to thel steam on all sides. The steam quicio ly rushes around the cage and then down theconverging passageways 49 hetweenthe channels 12. Theconverging form of these passagevvaysv 49 between the channels 12 retard the steam from rushing directly through the cage and causes the steamto iiow around the cage and rea-ch the center of the cage by coming down thel various passagevvays practically from all sides instead `ot'just from one side, thus a uniformity of steam introduction is provided as Well as by the fact that the can is exposed practically on all sides to the action of the steam. In the meantime it Will be understood that the cage 7 has been revolving during'the heating operation. When the sterilizing period is completed then the steam is vcut oil and the cooling water is admittedthrough pipe 23. The accessibility of ,the can to the cooling Water is just as great as to the steam and therefore thecooking is just as uniformlyjstopped as it Was commenced. f

Upon completing the cooling oi? the contents o the container the revolving of the cage 7 is stopped.. The Idoor opening closingmeans 35 in the unloading'end of the container are opened, the water having been drained out through water drain valve 40 previ-ous to opening the door. Since the cans a will incline'to run down the channels 12 they Will press against can .retaining plate 33 and since this is idly mounted on shaft j 8 it Will revolve With the cago 7. This plate 37 is moved into` position with the runways 38 and 39l registering withv the channel 12 and the slidingmemhers 35,03 the disk 33 are then opened and the cans allowed to run out. the containers is reduced to a minimum as gravity is used both for loading and unloadme.

v llhe period of sterilizin and the time involved in loading and un oading, are obvi- Manifestly, the manual handling of` ing of those cansinitially contacted by the steam. Moreover, not only doesthe uniformity of heat provide forreducing of cost of sterilizing by reducing the time, butit provides for a greatly improved product in that all over-cooking or h'eatingmay ber avoided and the brown color thereby resulting positively avoided, and the flavor in no wise interferedwith. f

VThe modifiedfform Fig. 6 would operate the same as the above retort, the channels being inclinable for purposes of loading and unloading.

Manifestly, the channels may be provided in a given retort to take a single sized can or as many different sized cans as the particular application may require, a retort adapted for three differentjsizes.being set forth to illustrate the invention.

Obviously, changes may be madein the forms, dimensions and arrangement ofthe parts of our invention, without departing from the principle thereof, the above setting forth only preferred forms of embodiment.v

l. In a'device of the character described a retort, a `cage having the form of a frustum of a cone revolvably mounted therein, said cage having sloping channelsto' which containers may be supplied.

2. In a device ofthe character described a retort, av cage having the-form of a frustum of a cone revolvably mounted therein, said cage havingsloping channels toiwhich containers may be supplied, said channels being of varying cross-sectional area for containers of varying sizes, the channels in peripherally opposite portions of the cage being of the same size.

3. In a device of the character described a retort, a cage having the form of a frustum of a conc revolvably mounted therein, said cage having sloping channels to which containersmay be supplied, said channels being of varying cross-sectional areafor containers of varying sizes, the channels in peripherally opposite-portionsA ofthe cage being of the same size; and channels of a uniform size annularly disposed around the a Xis of'said cage.

4. In a device of the character describedV a retort, a cage having the form of a frustum of a cone revolvably mounted therein,

said cage having sloping channels'to which containers may be supplied; and means operatively disposed at the ends of said chan-l nels whereby said channels may be closed.

5'; In a device ofthe character described a retort, a cage having the form of a frus- 6. In a device of the character vdescribed a retort, a cage having the form of a frustuml of a cone revolvably mounted therein, said cage having sloping channels to which containers may be supplied, said channels being of varying cross-sectional area for containers of varying sizes, the channels in peripherally opposite portions of the cage being of the same size; channels of va uniform size annularly disposed around the axis of said cage; and means operatively disposed at thev ends of said channels whereby said channels may be closed.

7. In a device of the character described, a retort; a cage revolvably mounted therein, said cage having container channels; and a container retaining disk disposed at the end of, and revolvably mounted with respect to, said cage, said disk.. having closable container passage ports disposed therein.

8. .In a device'of the character described, a retort; a cagel having the form of a frustum of a cone revolvably mounted therein, said cage having vchannels inclined at an angle to the axis thereof; and container retaining disks disposed at the ends of, and revolvably mounted with respectto, said cage, said disks having closable container passage ports disposed therein.

Iny witness Whereofvwe hereunto subscribe our names'this 15th day of April, 1927.

onniny SEYMOUR HAGEN. Nova-s-` coins.y 

